Toxic
f racking chemicals that leached into the ground making you sick? Why
that's bad press for the oil industry!

That's why they came up with this ingenious (in an evil way) to deal
with the problem: "gag" doctors from telling their patients
what is making them sick. See, problem solved!

A 2010 congressional investigation revealed that Halliburton and
other fracking companies had used 32 million gallons of diesel products,
which include toxic chemicals like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and
xylene, in the fluids they inject into the ground. Low levels of exposure
to those chemicals can trigger acute effects like headaches, dizziness,
and drowsiness, while higher levels of exposure can cause cancer.

Pennsylvania law states that companies must disclose the identity
and amount of any chemicals used in fracking fluids to any health professional
that requests that information in order to diagnosis or treat a patient
that may have been exposed to a hazardous chemical. But the provision
in the new bill requires those health professionals to sign a confidentiality
agreement stating that they will not disclose that information to anyone
else -- not even the person they're trying to treat.

I can't help but notice the lack of comments by actual doctors in the story, as opposed to environmentalist mouthpieces.

My guess is that doctors are indeed allowed to tell patients what is making them sick, IF those chemicals are actually detected at harmful levels. In other words, they can share the full results of toxicology tests, but they can't share the lists of chemicals used at various sites. But the doctors have that information themselves so they know what to look for.

Wonder how many people will have to be stricken horribly ill oroutright die before this practiceis stopped. Yeah, you have plenty of oil, butthat won't keep the prices down.Speculators will see to that. Aaand,now you, your kids, and grandkids willnever, ever have clean drinking water. And as always, have nice day....